Tea Time: Tips for brewing the perfect cup every time
Whether you are feeling stressed and tired, or are happily spending the afternoon chatting with good friends, there is one element that suits any occasion: a great cup of tea. All of us at Maison are tea drinkers and there is rarely a moment when you won’t hear the kettle bubbling in the office. When designing the kitchen, Nanon and Melanie even dedicated two drawers to housing their glorious tea collection. After sampling and sipping almost ever tea under the sun, we would like to share a few of our tips and tricks on how to brew the perfect cup at home.
When we go to make a cup of tea, most of us likely flip on our one-setting kettle and use the boiling water to steep our tea. However, brewing your tea at the wrong temperature can significantly impact the flavour. For example, green tea tends to taste best when brewed at a lower temperature, roughly 65-80°C, whereas oolong and black teas taste best when brewed at higher temperatures. We admit that we took the easy route and invested in an amazing Breville kettle that takes the guesswork out of the process. This kettle has settings for black, white, green and oolong tea for a perfect brew every time. If you aren’t sure what temperature to use for the best results, most teas come with instructions on the packaging. If you find that your tea is tasting bitter or too earthy, try reducing the brewing time to soften the flavour.
Another trick of the trade: if you prefer a stronger tea don’t just let the tea brew for longer. By steeping or brewing your tea for longer than the recommended time you are likely to end up with a bitter taste. Instead, double up on your tea bag or increase the number of leafs you use and stick with the recommended brew time. More delicate green and white teas typically brew between 2-4 minutes whereas black and herbal teas are best brewed for around 5 minutes.
Can’t live without your tea latte from the coffee shop? Why not try making a delicious tea latte at home by following this recipe from luxury tea shop Tealeaves. Start by brewing a cup of vanilla rooibos tea at 215° for 4 minutes. Remove the tea bag and add sugar to taste. Add 2 oz of steamed milk, almond or soy milk will also taste delicious, and garnish with cinnamon and rose petals. If you’re feeling festive, try adding a shot of Irish whiskey: the perfect way to ward off the post-summer blues!
